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New York Asian Film Festival 10th Anniversary Line-up

May 31st 2011

NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL
July 1 - 14

at Lincoln Center (July 1 - 14)
Japan Society (July 7 - 10)

The New York Asian Film Festival is ten years old! And we have presents for
you! A Takashi Miike World Premiere! The long-awaited animated epic based on
Osamu Tezuka¹s life of Buddha! The International Premiere of the new movie
from Johnnie To! Rare Filipino exploitation! An avalanche of retro
screenings to celebrate our tenth birthday! And special guests Tsui Hark,
Ryoo Seung-Wan, Su Chao-pin, Takayuki Yamada, Tak Sakaguchi and many more!

The New York Asian Film Festival is presented in association with the Film
Society of Lincoln Center and Japan Society's Japan Cuts: Festival of New
Japanese Film.

We're deeply grateful for the support of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade
Office New York, the Korean Cultural Service New York and the Taipei
Economic and Cultural Office in New York.

The Line-Up!!!!
Official Opening Night Film
MILOCRORZE: A LOVE STORY (Japan, 2011, North American Premiere, 90 minutes)
Truly trippy, this bizarro musical/variety/samurai/love story from Japan is
one solid slab of psychedelia from Yoshimasa Ishibashi, the mad genius
behind the Fuccon Family.
***The movie's director, Yoshimasa Ishibashi, and star, Takayuki Yamada,
will be at the screenings
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

Centerpiece Presentation
SHAOLIN (Hong Kong, 2011, North American Premiere, 131 minutes)
It doesn't get any bigger than this. Superstar Andy Lau, Nic Tse and Jackie
Chan all star in this swank, blockbuster retelling of the primal martial
arts story: the destruction of Shaolin Temple, which is the birthplace of
martial arts. It's a movie that's been made many times (hence the alternate
title NEW SHAOLIN TEMPLE) but never before has it been this massive, this
lavish and this chock full o'action.
***The movie's director, Benny Chan, will be at the screening

Centerpiece Presentation
NINJA KIDS!!! (Japan, 2011, World Premiere, 100 minutes) - Takashi Miike has
been impressing critics with 13 ASSASSINS and his 3D remake of HARA KIRI
that just played Cannes. Whatever. We've got the World Premiere of his
insane new kid's flick about feuding ninja schools. People wonder where all
the craziness went from Miike's two new films? He put it all in here. Your
jaw will drop like an elevator with a snapped cable. We love you, Takashi
Miike!!!
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

Official Closing Night Film
THE YELLOW SEA (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 156 minutes) - from the
director of THE CHASER, and fresh out of Cannes, this is the Korean action
movie in excelsis. A North Korean immigrant is sent to Seoul to perform a
hit. Soon the Chinese mafia, the Korean mafia and the cops, are after him
and hatchets are deployed, trucks are flipped and all hell breaks loose.
***The movie's director, Na Hong-Jin will be at the screening

The 2011 Star Asia Awards will go to:

Star Asia Rising Star Award
Takayuki Yamada - Japan's most versatile young actor has gone from being a
TV heartthrob to a TRAIN MAN (his breakthrough role) to one of Takashi
Miike's 13 ASSASSINS. And in this year's Opening Night selection,
MILOCRORZE: A LOVE STORY, he plays every single male part.

Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award
Tsui Hark - One of our first events was a retrospective of Hong Kong's
veteran filmmaker and award-winning director, Tsui Hark, way back in 2001.
We figured it was time to bring him to the festival and recognize his
extraordinary, lifelong contributions to Hong Kong cinema, especially after
his latest film, DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME, was a
huge box office hit and won "Best Director" at the Hong Kong Film Awards
2011.

We've also got three special focuses:
WU XIA: HONG KONG'S FLYING SWORDSMEN
Presented with the support of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office New
York of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, this special
focus is on Hong Kong's wu xia (literally "martial arts") films. It's a
genre that's unique to Hong Kong and while it's all about showcasing the
Chinese martial arts tradition it's come to refer specifically to that
brain-expanding genre of Hong Kong movies that use the cutting edge of
cinematography and the best special effects of the time to paint a world
full of flying swordsmen, deadly female warriors, legendary blades and more
than a touch of fantasy.

This line-up will include:
DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME (Hong Kong, 2010, 122
minutes) - Tsui Hark's return to greatness is a Holmes-ian fantasia about
spontaneous combustion and kung fu deer. An exiled detective is returned to
favor in the Imperial court to solve a series of mysterious deaths that
delay the inauguration of the Empress Wu, played by Carina Lau, who won
"Best Actress" at the Hong Kong Film Awards 2011 for her performance. The
movie also won top prizes in Art Direction, Costume and Make-up Design as
well as in Sound Design and Visual Effects.
***The movie's director, Tsui Hark, will be at the screening

THE BLADE (Hong Kong, 1995, 100 minutes) - a rare screening of Tsui Hark's
martial masterpiece, this is one of the towering achievements of Chinese
cinema. In a rare 35mm print.
***The movie's director, Tsui Hark, will be at the screening

DUEL TO THE DEATH (Hong Kong, 1983, 83 minutes) - Ching Siu-tung's
directorial debut deploys ninjas, poisoned blades and some of the world's
most innovative choreography to create a movie that's one part martial arts
film, one part exploitation shocker and one part ballet. Screening on a rare
35mm print!

DRAGON INN (Hong Kong, 1992, 109 minutes) - two of Hong Kong's greatest
actresses, Maggie Cheung and Brigitte Lin, take on Donnie Yen's bloodless
eunuch in this Tsui Hark-produced swordplay romance. Directed by Raymond
Lee, it's a remake of King Hu's 1967 masterpiece. A brand new print of this
classic film, struck specially for the New York Asian Film Festival.
***The movie's producer, Tsui Hark, will be at the screening

ZU: WARRIORS FROM THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN (Hong Kong, 1983, 94 minutes) - the
movie that launched a thousand wu xia, Tsui Hark's surreal phantasmagoria
will blow your mind. Recruiting Hollywood special effects technicians just
off Star Wars and Star Trek the Motion Picture, Tsui Hark's film reinvented
a genre and kickstarted Hong Kong's entire special effects industry. This is
a rare chance to see a 35mm print of this movie in all its big screen glory.
***The movie's director, Tsui Hark, will be at the screening

Special focus:
SEA OF REVENGE: NEW KOREAN THRILLERS
In 2008, when the Korean film industry was at its lowest point, Na Hong-Jin
released the word-of-mouth hit, THE CHASER, launching a wave of twisty
thrillers focused on intense action and ace performances. In this special
focus, presented in association with the Korean Cultural Service New York,
we show you the best of what THE CHASER has wrought.

This line-up will include:
THE YELLOW SEA (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 156 minutes) - Na Hong-Jin
reunites with his stars from THE CHASER to make this big, relentless
follow-up. We've got it fresh from its Cannes screening as part of Un
Certain Regard
***The movie's director, Na Hong-Jin, will be at the screening

THE UNJUST (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 119 minutes) - longtime festival
favorite, action director Ryoo Seung-Wan, turns in this epic, sprawling
corruption saga that recalls Sidney Lumet back in his PRINCE OF THE CITY
days.
***The movie's director, Ryoo Seung-Wan, will be at the screening

BEDEVILLED (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 115 minutes) - this time, the
ladies are doing it. An all-female version of DELIVERANCE, where a city
slicker goes to an insular rural community where she's not wanted. Possibly
the greatest women vs. men movie ever made, lead actress Seo Young-Hee took
home six "Best Actress" awards for her performance here.

THE CHASER (Korea, 2008, 125 minutes) - the thriller that saved the Korean
film industry, this mega-hit is what you'd get if you cross-bred Alfred
Hitchcock with a pit bull.
***The movie's director, Na Hong-Jin, will be at the screening

HAUNTERS (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 114 minutes) - 50% superhero
movie, 50% horror movie and 100% Korean thriller, this bigtime commercial
hit is about a troubled kid who can control minds and the simple guy, immune
to his ability, who's out to stop him.

THE MAN FROM NOWHERE (Korea, 2010, 119 minutes) - one part Batman, one part
Bourne, Korean mega-star, Won Bin, revamped his image as a hard man of
action with this movie about a spy coming out of retirement to take on a
ring of organ harvesters. The number one movie at the Korean box office in
2010 (beating INCEPTION and IRON MAN 2), it took home SIXTEEN film awards!

TROUBLESHOOTER (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 99 minutes) - produced by
Ryoo Seung-Wan, this is a classic "wrong man" movie, only this time the
wrong man is a hardcore ex-cop (Sol Kyung-Gu from the highly successful
PUBLIC ENEMY series) and it's got the black, bleak sense of absurdist humor
most thrillers lack.
***The movie's producer, Ryoo Seung-Wan, and director, Kwok Hyeok-Jae, will
be at the screening

Special focus:
SU CHAO-PIN: TAIWAN'S KING OF ENTERTAINMENT
In the US, we think of Taiwanese movies as an endless stream of art films.
But with the support of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York,
we are proud to bring to New York one of the few Taiwanese directors who
makes blockbuster hits that actual real live people go to see: Su Chao-pin!

This line-up will include:
REIGN OF ASSASSINS (Hong Kong/Taiwan/China, 2010, 117 minutes, New York
Premiere) - co-directed with John Woo, starring Michelle Yeoh and Korean
star Jung Woo-Sung, this massive martial arts hit gives the genre a beating,
bleeding, romantic heart.
***The movie's director and writer, Su Chao-pin, will be at the screening

THE CABBIE (Taiwan, 2000, 94 minutes) - Su's first movie set new trends in
Taiwan for actually being entertaining. He wrote this flick based on his
experiences driving a cab, and it's a fast-paced black comedy about a cabbie
in love with a traffic cop.
***The movie's writer, Su Chao-pin, will be at the screening

BTS: BETTER THAN SEX (Taiwan, 2002, 92 minutes) - one of the most
hyperactive, funniest movies about sex you'll ever see. Pity this poor
teenage porn-addict who just wants to find a real girl. Way ahead of its
time, this movie manages to be all about sex without feeling pervy.
***The movie's director and writer, Su Chao-pin, will be at the screening

And now the full line-up!

CHINA
BUDDHA MOUNTAIN (China, 2010, North American Premiere, 105 minutes) -
gobbling up festival awards around the world, Sylvia Chang stars as a
suicidal landlady who rents an apartment to three irritating young hipsters
in this transcendent drama from Li Yu (LOST IN BEIJING) one of the only
female directors working in China. Popular actress, Fan Bingbing (SHAOLIN),
stars as one of the hipsters, but it's Sylvia Chang, the most important
woman in Chinese show business in the 70's and 80's, who owns this movie.

OCEAN HEAVEN (China/Hong Kong, 2010, New York Premiere, 96 minutes) -
directed by another female director, this movie sees Jet Li team up with
cinematographer Christopher Doyle and composer Joe Hisaishi to make a
restrained, heartbreaking movie about a dad (Jet Li) trying to teach his
autistic son how to live on his own. Beautifully shot, scored, acted and
observed, it's got no action, all heartbreak.

DUEL TO THE DEATH (Hong Kong, 1983, 83 minutes) - part of Wu Xia focus.

PUNISHED (Hong Kong, 2011, International Premiere, 94 minutes) - the latest
movie produced by Johnnie To, this is a hardcore revenge drama featuring a
powerhouse turn by Anthony Wong as a real estate billionaire whose wild child
daughter has been kidnapped. Bullet-to-the-head action the way Hong Kong
used to do it.

RIKI-OH: THE STORY OF RICKY (Hong Kong, 1991, 91 minutes) - the classic Hong
Kong midnight action movie about prison privatization and monsters who
strangle you with their guts. Rarely seen on the big screen, this is a
full-on, ridiculously crazy mind-melter full of crucifixion, flaying,
classic kung fu combat and prison wardens who keep breath mints in their
glass eyeballs.

JAPAN
13 ASSASSINS: DIRECTOR'S CUT (Japan, 2010, 141 minutes, New York Premiere) -
the complete UNCUT version of Takashi Miike's samurai masterpiece. With 17
minutes of original footage restored.
***One of the movie's stars, Takayuki Yamada, will be at the screening

BATTLE ROYALE (Japan, 2000, 114 minutes) - a celebratory screening of Kinji
Fukasaku's masterpiece now that it finally - after 10 years!!!! - has a new
distributor who wants people to actually see it.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

A BOY AND HIS SAMURAI (Japan, 2010, North American Premiere, 109 minutes) -
the director of FISH STORY and GOLDEN SLUMBER returns to the festival with
this family film about a samurai who winds up in the modern era.
Surprisingly, it then becomes an exceptional food movie! This is the
father-son movie you've been looking for.

DARK ON DARK (Japan, 2011, International Premiere, 17 minutes) - this short
film is the directorial debut from Makoto Ohtake, a well-known Japanese
comedian and actor since the 80's (he's worked extensively with Takeshi
Kitano and the popular City Boys troupe). It's all about a two-bit talent
manager and his outrageously endowed adult video talent bringing peace into
the world via their various "gifts." Screens with HORNY HOUSE OF HORROR.

GANTZ and GANTZ: PERFECT ANSWER (Japan, 2011, 130 minutes & 150 minutes) -
presented back-to-back it's the uncut, subtitled, live action movies based
on Japan's existential sci fi action manga. It's the New York Premiere of
the subtitled GANTZ and the North American Premiere of the subtitled GANTZ:
PERFECT ANSWER.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

HEAVENS STORY (Japan, 2010, North American Premiere, 278 minutes) - "King of
Pink Films" Takahisa Zeze spent almost two years shooting this 4 hour movie
about two random murders and the heartbreak, trauma and healing that spills
out from them over the next two decades. Monumental and strange, passionate
and philosophical, this is an epic in every sense of the word and a towering
achievement in film.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

HORNY HOUSE OF HORROR (Japan, 2010, North American Premiere, 75 minutes) ­
Japan does the violent porno horror thing better than anyone else and this
oddity features butt-walls, wiener-eating and demon hookers. This is the
directorial debut from the writer of MUTANT GIRLS SQUAD, and it's firmly in
the vein of that film and ROBO GEISHA. Only, you know, set in a horny house
that's full of horror.
Preceded by: DARK ON DARK (see above, 17 minutes)

KARATE-ROBO ZABORGAR (Japan, 2011, New York Premiere, 106 minutes) ­ Noboru
Iguchi (Robo Geisha) makes his best film yet. Not just that, but this is the
best-looking flick from label, Sushi Typhoon, yet. Slick, big budget and
almost family friendly, it's based on an obscure TV show from the 70's about
a young, bright-eyed police officer and his karate robot (who transforms
into a motorcycle) fighting crime. But in Iguchi's version, the two split up
and have to reunite years later after middle-age has taken its toll.

THE LAST DAYS OF THE WORLD (Japan, 2011, World Premiere, 96 minutes) - a
return to the trippy, socially-engaged, blackly comic, ridiculously violent
revolutionary movies of Japan's 60's. A high school student has a vision
that the world is ending and so, faced with no consequences, he abducts a
fellow student and goes on a crime spree.

LOVE AND LOATHING AND LULU AND AYANO (Japan, 2010, North American Premiere,
105 minutes) - based on a book of interviews with porn film dayworkers, this
exuberant, anime-influenced movie about life on the bottom rungs of the
adult film business treats life in the porno business as a chance for some
actors to escape their humdrum, everyday existences.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

MILOCRORZE: A LOVE STORY (Japan, 2011, North American Premiere, 90 minutes)
- Opening Night Movie
***The movie's director, Yoshimasa Ishibashi, and star, Takayuki Yamada,
will be at the screenings
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

OSAMU TEZUKA'S BUDDHA: THE GREAT DEPARTURE (Japan, 2011, North American
Premiere, 111 minutes) - the much-anticipated animated epic based on Osamu
Tezuka's landmark life of the Buddha.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film

RINGING IN THEIR EARS (Japan, 2011, International Premiere, 89 minutes) - Yu
Irie (8000 MILES 1 & 2) returns with this ambitious flick about an upcoming
concert by a reclusive rock group and the managers, obsessed fans, shut-ins,
single moms and kindergarten teachers who are affected by it. A true tribute
to the healing power of rock and roll.
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

VERSUS (Japan, 2000, 120 minutes) - a tenth-anniversary celebration of the
Japanese zombie action film that launched a thousand horror/splatter/action
flicks.
***Star and action choreographer, Tak Sakaguchi, and writer, Yudai
Yamaguchi, will be at the screening.

YAKUZA WEAPON (Japan, 2011, New York Premiere, 105 minutes) -
stuntman-turned-director, Tak Sakaguchi, turns in a high calibre,
action-heavy riff on Robocop all about a robot yakuza out to put his fist
through the skulls of the bad guys. From Sushi Typhoon, purveyor of movies
like Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl.
***The movie's director and star, Tak Sakaguchi, and co-director and writer,
Yudai Yamaguchi, will be at the screening
Presented with Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

KOREA
BATTLEFIELD HEROES (Korea, 2011, New York Premiere, 118 minutes) - an
absurdist satire about war, this movie from Lee Joon-Ik (director of KING
AND CLOWN, the highest-grossing Korean film of all time) is like a Terry
Gilliam movie gone Korean as a farmer too poor to even have a name gets
drafted into one of medieval Korea's eternal wars.
***The movie's director, Lee Joon-Ik, will be at the screening.

BEDEVILLED (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 115 minutes) - part of Sea of
Revenge focus.

THE CHASER (Korean, 2008, 125 minutes) - part of Sea of Revenge focus.

CITY OF VIOLENCE (Korea, 2006, 92 minutes) - an encore presentation of the
best all-out action film from Ryoo Seung-Wan (THE UNJUST). Like a less
ironic version of KILL BILL.
***The movie's director, Ryoo Seung-Wan, will be at the screening

FOXY FESTIVAL (Korea, 2010, North American Premiere, 110 minutes) ­ a
"Making Our Neighborhoods Safe & Happy" festival has the vice cops working
overtime in this multi-character comedy that's like a Robert Altman flick
about fetishes. Love - and handcuffs, and nipple clamps - all conspire to
save the day from the forces of conformity.

HAUNTERS (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 114 minutes) - part of Sea of
Revenge focus.

THE MAN FROM NOWHERE (Korea, 2010, 119 minutes) - part of Sea of Revenge
focus.

MSFF SHORTS (Korea, 2010) - Korea's best directors assemble two selections
of that country's best short horror, action and comedy movies just for you.

THE RECIPE (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 107 minutes) - a serial killer
escapes from prison but is recaptured when he stops to eat a bowl of stew
that's so good he loses track of time. What is the secret behind the stew?
Korea finally delivers its best food film with this kitchen romance.

TROUBLESHOOTER (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 99 minutes) - part of Sea of
Revenge focus.
***The movie's producer, Ryoo Seung-Wan, and director, Kwok Hyeok-Jae, will
be at the screening

THE UNJUST (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 119 minutes) - part of Sea of
Vengeance focus.
***The movie's director, Ryoo Seung-Wan, will be at the screening

THE YELLOW SEA (Korea, 2010, New York Premiere, 156 minutes) - Closing Night
Movie
Part of Sea of Revenge focus.
***The movie's director, Na Hong-Jin, will be at the screening

MALAYSIA
SELL OUT (Malaysia, 2008, New York Premiere, 110 minutes) - one of the best,
smartest and funniest movies ever made in Malaysia finally escapes from the
clutches of its evil distributor and it was worth the wait. A musical about
money, creativity and a reality show focusing on those who are about to die,
this is like nothing else in our line-up except (maybe) MILOCRORZE.

PHILIPPINES
MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED (Australia, 2010, New York Premiere, 84 minutes) -
from the people who made Not Quite Hollywood, comes this definitive
documentary about the Filipino exploitation film bonanza that erupted in the
70's and 80's.

RAW FORCE (Philippines/USA, 1982, 86 minutes) - one of the strangest
Filipino/US co-productions from the 80's, this rarely-screened exploitation
fever dream is better known by its other title Kung Fu Cannibals. With
zombies, ninjas, samurai, kung fu, and evil monks, this is the entire 1980's
exploitation industry fired into your eyes via firehose.

THE CABBIE (Taiwan, 2000, 94 minutes) - part of Su Chao-pin focus
***The movie's writer, Su Chao-pin, will be at the screening

REIGN OF ASSASSINS (Hong Kong/Taiwan/China, 2010, 117 minutes) ­ part of Su
Chao-pin focus.
***The movie's co-director and writer, Su Chao-pin, will be at the screening

THAILAND
BKO: BANGKOK KNOCKOUT (Thailand, 2010, New York Premiere, 105 minutes) -
Tony Jaa's mentor, Panna Rittikrai, will school you now. This exploitation
stunt-tacular features all his best stuntmen and women unleashing muay thai,
capoeira, dirt bike fu, shovel beatdowns, fights on fire, fights in the
water, fights under trucks, fights in mid-air, and two back-to-back
climactic smackdowns that have to be seen to be believed.

Prepare yourselves for the best New York Asian Film Festival yet!!!

ABOUT THE FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
Under the leadership of Rose Kuo, Executive Director, and Richard Peña,
Program Director, The Film Society of Lincoln Center offers the best in
international, classic and cutting-edge independent cinema. The Film Society
presents two film festivals that attract global attention: the New York Film
Festival, currently planning its 49th edition, and New Directors/New Films
which, since its founding in 1972, has been produced in collaboration with
MoMA. The Film Society also publishes the award-winning Film Comment
Magazine, and for over three decades has given an annual award‹now named
"The Chaplin Award" to a major figure in world cinema. Past recipients of
this award include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese, Meryl
Streep, and Tom Hanks. The Film Society presents a year-round calendar of
programming, panels, lectures, educational programs and specialty film
releases at its Walter Reade Theater and the new state-of-the-art Elinor
Bunin Munroe Film Center, opening June 2011. The Film Society
receives generous, year-round support from 42BELOW, American Airlines, The
New York Times, Stella Artois, the National Endowment for the Arts, WNET New
York Public Media, Royal Bank of Canada and the New York State Council on
the Arts. For more information, visit: www.FilmLinc.com

ABOUT NYAFF
Subway Cinema is a New York-based film programming, exhibition, and
marketing collective, committed to increasing exposure and appreciation for
Asia's popular cinema with year-round events and screenings. Its flagship
event is the New York Asian Film Festival (July 1 - 14) which the New York
Times has called "...one of the city's most valuable events..." Launched in
2002, the NYAFF is America's leading and most influential showcase for
popular Asian cinema. Each year, the Festival selects over 40 feature films,
and only the best, the strangest, and the most entertaining make the cut.
The NYAFF was the first North American film festival to put a spotlight on
Johnnie To, Bong Joon-Ho and Park Chan-Wook and it also held the largest
retrospective of Tsui Hark's work outside of Hong Kong. It is widely
considered invincible.

The NYAFF is made possible through the support of the Hong Kong Economic and
Trade Office New York, the Korean Cultural Service New York, Taipei Economic
and Cultural Office in New York, Japan Foundation and the Kitano Hotel.

ABOUT JAPAN SOCIETY
The Japan Society Film Program has offered a diverse selection of Japanese
films, from classics to contemporary independent productions. The Program
has included retrospectives of seminal directors, thematic series and
special screenings of international, U.S. and NY premieres. Several original
film series curated by Japan Society have traveled to other U.S. venues in
tours organized by the Film Program. The Film Program has provided English
subtitles for films which have never been screened outside of Japan.
Accompanying lectures help place the films in their aesthetic and social
contexts, and filmmakers often introduce and
discuss their work. This year, Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese
Cinema (July 7 - 22, 2011) becomes the world's largest showcase of
contemporary Japanese cinema with 32 films in its line-up.

Travel back in time (and maybe have your gender swapped) to seven different periods of Japanese history, all from the comfort of your couch.― The history of Japanese civilization is expansive, predating the Common Era by 10,000 years (the Jomon period). There's much more ground to cover compared to what kids get in U.S. history classes in high school, which rarely cover anything before the Boston T...

Junji Ito's death-stench horror gets the deluxe treatment with a new hardcover omnibus, but the subject matter might not work for everyone.― Junji Ito is inarguably one of the masters of horror manga, utilizing both horror (physical revulsion) and terror (psychological reaction) to create gut-churning tales of the world gone mad. To a degree, he carries this out in his two-volume series Gyo from 200...

Voice actor/director/professional Dungeons & Dragons player Liam O'Brien returns to the podcast after a 5-year hiatus to discuss his roles in Fate/Zero and Sailor Moon, along with the landscape for anime voice acting now and what it's like to be Gollum.― ANNCast Episode 234: Podcastoes O'Brien Get the Flash Player to see this player. Voice actor/director/professional Dungeons & Dragons player Liam ...

If you went to an anime convention this summer or have used the internet lately, you may notice anime fans seem to have fallen in love with Steven Universe. Why? Because the show loves them right back.― If you've been to an anime convention in the past year, you've probably seen colorful, gem-studded cosplay like this filling the hallways. Photo credit links: top left, top right, bottom left, bottom...

If you've got questions for the director of the high-flying fantasy series The Pilot's Love Song, we've potentially got answers for you!― We've been given the opportunity to interview The Pilot's Love Song director Toshimasa Suzuki, and we need your help! NISA, who will be releasing the fantasy action drama The Pilot's Love Song on bluray September 22nd, asked for fan questions for Mr. Suzuki, whos...

Bee-Train's 2001 girls-with-guns classic returns on Blu-Ray, and holds up surprisingly well, despite some mediocre animation.― Not all older series deserve the Blu-Ray treatment. For some it is because the show just isn't as iconic as people might like to think, while for others it's because the quality was never BD worthy in the first place. Noir, fortunately, does hold up well enough that its tran...

Egypt Arc is JoJo in peak condition, as memorable and engaging an adventure as you could hope for. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is back.― When we last left our heroes, they'd just arrived on the shores of Egypt, escaping the literal jaws of defeat in order to finally save Jotaro's mother. The journey there had been a lengthy and sometimes inconsistent one, with their various adventures indeed being plen...

The creator of the hit manga, recently adapted into a popular anime series, talks about her inspirations, how she got her start, and what it's like to watch your manga become a TV show.― As you might guess from the story, the main character of the story is a high school roughneck named Ryu Yamada. Yamada meets cute, quiet, and studious Urara Shiraishi, who is his complete opposite in almost every wa...